Joan Swan Winner

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and
commented on debut author Joan Swan's post.

Random.org has chosen the winner of a copy of FEVER by Joan Swan.

And the winner is (drum roll).....


REBEKAH E.


Congrats to you Rebekah E.!!!!!!

Please send your full name and mailing address to
theromancedish AT gmail DOT com
with "Joan Swan Winner" in the subject line.


~ Buffie

Today's Special -- Joan Swan

We are thrilled to welcome back Kensington debut author Joan Swan! Joan's debut novel, FEVER, was released on February 28, 2012. Check out Buffie's review, which is below this post. A triple RWA Golden Heart finalist as well as a double Daphne Du Maurier finalist, Joan is a lover of craft and closet-hoarder of writing craft how-to books (taken from Joan's website). Please give a warm welcome to Joan Swan as she discusses writing stories filled with suspense.



Thanks to the fabulous ladies here at The Romance Dish for having me back!

Every story—no matter the length, the genre, the style, the voice, the author, the editor, the language—has to have suspense. Without suspense, there is nothing urging the reader to turn the page. No drama for the reader to watch unfold. Nothing to take hold of the reader and not let go. In other words… boring.

Fever, my recent debut, has received fabulous reviews, which absolutely thrills me.

“An exciting, on-the-run romantic suspense tale!”~ Christie Ridgeway, BookPage, Top Pick Romance

“…a great, action-packed, sexy read.”~ Novel Reflections Review

“…all-consuming, thrilling, and passionate.”~ The Good, The Bad, The Unread

The whole point to suspense is development of drama within the story. And to create suspenseful drama a storyteller must have:

· Stakes—what will the character win or lose? Is it big enough to make the situation compelling?

· Character—do I connect enough with this person to care whether they win or lose?

· Conflict—one main character must want one thing while another wants something different – usually the opposite.

The best authors use these elements in a delicate balance. Suspense is all about the anticipation. The unknown. In fiction, suspense is built when the author proposes a story or character question, then makes the reader wait for the answer.

How long? It depends…usually on the question itself. Some questions are big and meaningful to the overall story concept. Some are small, maybe a hint about the character’s background that will foreshadow conflict. But regardless of the size (or relative importance) in the most suspenseful fiction, every time an answer is revealed to the reader, another question continues to linger or is introduced. Like that childhood game leapfrog, some question the reader needs answered to understand the story, to satisfy his curiosity, to make him want to read forward, is always in place. This is what creates that need-to-know atmosphere in the best suspense. And when it’s done well, the story skips along, with answers coming at intervals and new questions popping up, keeping the reader flying through the pages.

Timing is everything—when an author drops a new question into the story, when he answers another. It’s a skill that can be developed on a gut level. A sixth sense of sorts. Some authors have developed this sense after years of writing in the genre. Some authors come by it naturally. Many readers have an even better sense of developing tension than authors because reading is a fabulous way of gaining that sensitivity.

Generally speaking, if you, as the author, are bored...the reader will be bored. If your attention is scattered between three different story lines...the reader will also be distracted. And if you allow the suspense to linger too long, the reader will get exasperated and put the book down, but if you push it too fast, the reader has nothing to read on or wait for. Here, the gut feeling is valuable.

Some authors find it easier to write through method. In that case, this graphic might help.














Add in character questions and you get even more complexity and more levels of suspense.









There are different types of suspense a writer can employ to keep the pace moving in creative, thought-provoking ways: the dark, slowly-twining-around-your-throat suspense, the emotional, life-altering-squeezing-your-stomach suspense, and the well-known and loved physical-threat-to life-and-limb suspense. And because I write romantic suspense, I'm also twining in the romantic conflict along the way.

It's fun and challenging and when it all comes together, the result is literally breathtaking.

What was the last book you read with killer suspense?

One random commenter (US and Canadian residents only) will win a print copy of FEVER.

Also, all comments are eligible for Joan's tour grand prize of either a COLOR NOOK or KINDLE FIRE. Stop by Joan's website and enter here.


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Joan Swan is a triple RWA® Golden Heart finalist and writes sexy romantic suspense with a paranormal twist. Her debut novel with Kensington Brava, FEVER, releases February 28, 2012. Her second novel, BLAZE, follows in October, 2012.

In her day job, she works as a sonographer for one of the top ten medical facilities in the nation and lives on the California central coast in beautiful wine country with her husband and two daughters.

My links: Website Blog Twitter Facebook Goodreads


Book Blurb: Release Date: 2/28/12


Dr. Alyssa Foster will admit to a bad boy fetish…
But when she finds herself face to face with a convicted murderer with determination for freedom and an eye on her as his get out of jail free card, Alyssa knows she’s in deep trouble…. Not just because Teague Creek is a prisoner desperate for freedom, but because his every touch makes her desperate for more.

A man with a life sentence has nothing to lose…
Teague Creek has one shot at freedom, but his plan to escape with a hostage develops a fatal flaw: Alyssa. On the run from both the law and deadly undercover operatives who know of his strange abilities, he needs to avoid trouble, but every heated kiss tells him the fire between them could be just as devastating as the flames that changed him forever.

Buy links: Amazon Barnes & Noble Booksamillion

Review -- FEVER

FEVER
Phoenix Rising Series, Book 1
by Joan Swan
Publisher: Kensington
Release Date: February 28, 2012

He wore burgundy boxer briefs that clung to his muscular ass. He was tan everywhere but for a pale line mid thigh where he’d obviously worn shorts. She could swear every muscle was outlined in perfect relief. Her gaze traveled over the lines and dips and swells and curves. God, he was beautiful.

A beautiful, racist, murdering, escaped convict.


With only 14 days left of her year-long fellowship at St. Jude, Dr. Alyssa Foster is working every possible hour to show her dedication in hopes of receiving a permanent position as a radiologist at the medical center. Exhausted beyond words, Alyssa covers a shift for an ultrasound tech and finds she has to exam prisoners, which is her least favorite duty. Always a little uneasy around prisoners, her unease intensifies exponentially when inmate Teague Creek steps into the exam room.

Her gaze paused on the box labeled RELEASE DATE where the word life had been scribbled. Her lips pursed with an involuntary shake of her head. So young. What a waste.

Then, as her gaze shifts up and down Teague’s body, she observes a rather large man full of muscles and covered in a myriad of tattoos. The life of prison has covered this man from head to toe, literally. One minute Alyssa is reviewing Teague’s chart and the next minute she finds herself in a choke hold with scissors held to her throat.

Teague Creek is one complicated man. This former fire fighter/paramedic turned convicted murderer is not at all what he appears to be. Years ago, Teague and several other fire fighters were involved in a large fire at a government facility. Unbeknownst to the firefighters, they were exposed to some type of government chemical prototype. Each firefighter is affected by the exposure in a different way. Teague is able raise his body temperature to heat and melt items or to heal humans. Since the night of the fire, Teague’s life has spiraled out of control – being set up by some unknown group for the brutal murder of his wife, losing custody of his beloved little girl and serving life in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. While at the hospital for a medical exam and with the help of a prisoner, Teague takes control of his life and breaks free from the bonds of prison by kidnapping a doctor.

The majority of this book occurs while Teague and Alyssa are on the run. Slowly, very slowly, Alyssa begins to see past the façade Teague has built and truly sees the man behind the tattoos and the criminal record. Don’t think that Alyssa is some push over of a woman who falls in love with the man who kidnaps and holds her hostage. Oh no, that is SO far from the truth. Alyssa is one tough cookie. She gives as much as she gets.

She tossed her head to get the messy strands out of her eyes and watched him with a look that clearly said, “try it and I’ll kick your teeth in.” How could such a small woman, handcuffed and gagged, look so…formidable?

From the very beginning, Alyssa struggles with her physical and emotional reactions to Teague. She wonders how she can have any feelings for the man who has taken her hostage. Yet as the pieces of Teague’s life slowly begin to come together to form a bigger picture, Alyssa realizes she is in way deeper than even she imagined. Teague is not the criminal she first saw in the hospital, but instead a victim of some covert government cover-up. Using every single honed analytical skill learned from years of medical school and training, Alyssa takes charge of Teague’s escape and urges her attorney brother to help keep Teague out of prison. Teague is shocked and dismayed at the support Alyssa gives him. Afraid to open his heart to anyone since those he loved were taken from him in the past, Teague gives in a little and then retreats. Trust is hard to give after so much time in prison. The road to trust and love is winding, full of curves and blind spots, but the destination is SO worth the trip!

Teague pulled her earlobe between his teeth and nipped gently. “I love your passion.” He continued kissing his way down her neck. “I love your commitment. Your determination. Your courage.” His mouth moved over her should. “I love your intelligence. Your compassion.”

I don’t think I have ever been so tense while reading a book, but in a good way. This book is full of suspense! Every chapter had me holding my breath, tensing for what was to come, hoping for tidbits on Teague’s past and anticipating the physical connection between Teague and Alyssa. It wasn’t until I finished the book that I breathed a sigh of relief. Then I immediately thought …. I wonder when the next book comes out.

I am really looking forward to learning more about the other firefighters and what exactly happened to this group.

This is one book that I would highly recommend. But please keep in mind … it is not for the light of heart.


~ Buffie


NOTE: Since finishing the book, I have seen a lot of “chatter” regarding the racial slurs used by a gritty, evil secondary character in this book. I will admit that while reading parts of this book my jaw did drop wide open at the language, but I also must admit that this did not stop me from enjoying the storyline and I was not pulled out of the story in any way. The language used by this secondary character actually made me despise him so much that I couldn't wait to read what happened next and see how would the hero and heroine get away from this evil person. It is up to each reader to decide if language affects your view of the book. For me, it was not a problem.